W
William J. HoranUNIVERSAL FUND MEMBER

William's Story

William joined Watsi on October 17th, 2019. Six years ago, William joined our Universal Fund, supporting life-changing treatments for a new Watsi patient every month. William's most recent donation supported Anamiel, a 14-month-old boy from Ethiopia, to fund corrective surgery for a birth condition.

Impact

William has funded healthcare for 84 patients in 11 countries.

Patients funded by William

Vun is a 38-year-old construction worker from Kampong Cham, Cambodia. He lives with his wife, who grows cassava, and their two school-aged children. As the family's primary income earner, he works long hours performing physically demanding construction work while also helping his wife on the farm whenever possible. About two months ago, Vun began experiencing severe lower back pain that radiated down his left leg. The pain gradually worsened and became especially severe during the past week, making it difficult for him to walk, stand for long periods, and continue working. A CT scan revealed a large herniated disc between the L5 and S1 vertebrae, compressing the nerve. After learning about our medical partner, Children's Surgical Centre (CSC), he traveled two hours to reach the hospital and seek specialized care. On July 17th, he will undergo an L5–S1 discectomy (spinal surgery) at CSC to remove the damaged disc and relieve pressure on the affected nerve. The surgery is expected to reduce his pain, restore his mobility, and help him return to work and support his family. However, the cost of treatment is beyond what his family can afford, and he needs financial assistance to receive this life-changing surgery. They can contribute $100, but need help raising $1,500 more to help fund his procedure and care. Vun said, “I hope this surgery will take away the pain that has made even simple movements difficult. I look forward to walking normally again, returning to work, and providing for my family without being limited by my back.”

$1,113raised
$287to go

Thein is a 43-year-old woman from Burma. She lives with her mother, husband, and 18-year-old daughter in refugee camp in Phop Phra District, Tak Province, Thailand. Thein’s mother is retired, her daughter is a student, and her husband is a post-stroke disable person. Thein sells mohinga (Burmese noodles) in front of her home. However, her income is not enough to cover the family’s household expenses, and they have had to borrow 12,000 THB ($375 USD) from a neighbour to meet daily life expenses. For basic health care, the family usually visits the hospital in the refugee camp, which provides free health services. Since August 2023, Thein has been experiencing continuous bleeding, similar to menstruation, which has lasted for three months at a time. She also experiences tiredness and dizziness. Thein has been diagnosed with a myoma in her uterus and has been advised to undergo a total abdominal hysterectomy, the surgical removal of her uterus and cervix. If left untreated, Thein's symptoms will continue to worsen and put her at risk for further health complications in the future. Fortunately, Thein is scheduled to undergo her hysterectomy on April 20th. Our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund, is requesting $1,500 to cover the total cost of her procedure and care. Once recovered, this treatment will help Thein be free from continuous bleeding and able to perform her daily tasks normally. Thein expressed her happiness by saying, “Thank you very much to this organisation [HFA-BCMF] and the donors for being willing to help with my treatment costs. I really want to recover from my health issue, which would not be possible without your assistance.” She also added, “I will work hard to repay my debt after I fully recover.”

$1,500raised
Fully funded

Mu is a 75-year-old retired woman from Burma. She lives with her family in a refugee camp in Tak Province, Thailand, with her son, daughter-in-law, three grandsons and two granddaughters. They moved to the refugee camp in April 2023 from their home in Bango Division, Burma, in order to escape the fighting and airstrikes in their village. Mu’s son, two older grandsons and older granddaughter work as agricultural day laborers in the camp. Her younger grandson and granddaughter are students in the camp. Mu is experiencing severe lower right back pain, nausea, and cannot eat. Her urine is cloudy, and she cannot stand or even sit up fully due to her pain. Her family is worried about the financial burden of treatment and their lack of access to care. Mu was diagnosed with kidney stones and physicians at our medical partner's care center, Mae Sot General Hospital, determined that Extracorporeal Shock Wave Lithotripsy (ESWL) could resolve her symptoms. ESWL is a procedure that can break up the stones in the urinary system and the fragments will exit in the urine. Our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund, is requesting $1,500 to fund this procedure. The treatment is scheduled to take place on February 6th and, once completed, will hopefully allow her to live more comfortably. Mu's son expressed, “I see her in pain, but I cannot find the money to get her treatment.” Mu’s daughter-in-law said, “We are sad for her but happy that she will receive support. Thank you for helping her and finding a way for her to receive treatment. She has suffered for a long time.”

$1,500raised
Fully funded

Eh Mu is a 26-year-old woman from Burma who lives with her husband, her parents, older sister, older brother, younger sister, younger brother, her son and her nephew in a refugee camp in Thailand. Eh Mu and her family fled to the refugee camp in 2022 due to an airstrike and fighting in her village. Her parents are retired while her older brother and husband sometimes went to work outside of the camp as day laborers, while her older sister looks after a dormitory in the camp. Her son is a nursery school student. Eh Mu is a homemaker and makes custom dresses on order. During her free time, Eh Mu loves to play with her three-year-old son, spend time with her family, and listen to music on her phone. Eh Mu is currently expecting her second child. Her doctors recommend that she deliver via a caesarean section because of a high-risk pregnancy. This way, doctors can ensure the safety of both mother and child. Our medical partner, Burma Children Medical Fund, is helping Eh Mu undergo a C-Section on December 22nd at our medical partner's care center, Tha Song Yang Hospital. This procedure will cost $1500, and Eh Mu needs your support. Eh Mu said, “When I noticed my pregnancy, I started feel stress instead of happy. I worry that if I need to deliver my baby through surgery, then I cannot afford to pay for the surgery. When I gave birth through c-section in Burma for my first baby, at that time the treatment cost is less but here in Thailand is very expensive for what I heard from my friend. At first, I was thinking of returning to Burma to give birth, but fighting continues in my village and it is not safe to return so I have no other option. After I learned from the doctor that there will be an organization who will support my surgery cost, I feel like all my stress and worries are gone. I am happy and thankful to BCMF and all their donors who are available for me during this difficult time”.

$1,500raised
Fully funded

Divyana is a cheerful eight-year-old boy from Ethiopia. He loves playing football and spending time with his friends and younger brother. He lives in Sekota, and they travelled approximately 870 kilometers to seek treatment, a journey that took three days. His mother is a dedicated housewife, while his father works as an agricultural officer in a government institution. Together, his parents work hard to support their family and meet their children’s needs. Divyana's mother discovered his condition at birth and was immediately overwhelmed with frustration and panic. Questions raced through her mind, she says, “What is wrong with him? Is it my fault? How can I help my child?” Fear and stress consumed her, but her instinct to protect him never wavered. She began seeking information about his condition, choosing not to share too much with him to safeguard his emotional well-being. To prevent potential teasing or stigma, she instructed him to isolate himself whenever he went to the bathroom, warning him that other children might ridicule him if they saw him. She repeated this often, worried about how his condition might affect his social life and learning, especially since hypospadias is uncommon in their community. Divyana frequently compared himself to his younger brother and asked his mother why he was different. These moments left her feeling helpless, with no answers, only tears. One day, while visiting a relative in Addis Ababa who was undergoing orthopedic treatment, Divyana ’s mother heard about several successful cases being treated at the facility. Curious and hopeful, she began asking questions, but without revealing her son’s condition. Eventually, she received the contact information for the field patient coordinator at our medical partner's care center, BethanyKids Myungsung Christian Medical Centre. Doctors confirmed that Divyana was born with hypospadias, a condition that causes urinary dysfunction. Without treatment, he will continue to experience uncomfortable symptoms and will be at risk of future complications. Fortunately, Divyana is scheduled to undergo corrective surgery on November 20th. Our medical partner, African Mission Healthcare, is requesting $1,293 to cover the cost of his procedure and care. Divyana's mother said, "I wish my child were very healthy, and I am thrilled to get this opportunity."

$1,293raised
Fully funded